Couple of maintenance questions.

Since the uber cold mornings have kicked in, a couple of problems/niggles have raised their heads.

First off, the lil rascal has developed what I believe to be a sticky valve when cold until warmed up. A week or so ago I came across a thread on here that covered such an issue and had a few remedies, but cant for the life of me find it now that I need the info.

Secondly, whilst negotiating speed humps I seem to have an annoying creak from the front suspension. Seems to be the passenger side only. Ive given it a good clean underneath in case of some debris, but still it continues. All the bolts are tight and bushes are in good shape. Im thinking of just giving everything a good spray of something WD40 like and then some spray lube. Only reason for asking is im unsure if I should be using any particular type of spray too avoid anything that might damage the bushes.

Any tips on this would really help. Cheers J

WD40 will damage the rubber bushes, (and they are £1,000,000 each from Suzuki) but if they are squeaking then they are shot anyway.

Mine creaked when parking and it was the rusty kingpin bearing on one side.

You will likely find that creaking is to do with the shock absorber and its mountings though.

Im all too aware of the damage WD40 itself will do too rubber, wondering if there is something similar out there that would do the same sort of job and be safe on the bushes.
Its definitely not kingpins nor ball joints and the noise is only there with up and down movements such as speed humps. Cant find anything that could be causing it. Had the corner jacked up with the wheel off and worked the axle up and down with a jack and nothing seems to be at fault. Was fine one day, parked it up over night and came out the following day and it was creaking.

Im well and truly stumped... Only thing I can think it can be is something like the anti roll bar twisting in its rubber bush, or as you said above could be a rubber bush rotating in the damper.

Forgotten the anti roll bar. I think belt dressing might work, or silicon spray.

The axle bushes are bonded, any noise must be the bush has detached from the rubber, which means the bush is scrap.

Another issue has shown itself just a moment ago. Whilst taking a gentle amble up chalkpit lane, my engine temp starts to rise as the track gets a bit steeper. Fine the rest of the time, even sat idling for half an hour. Is it just the low speed and increase engine load at low revs? Hasn't done it before, lost count of how many times I've been up here. Water level is as it should be... J.

In respect of the top end tap when cold - a flushing oil might cure that and then only good quality oil and filter after that.

For the cooling issue, I've never seen my car's guage go past the mid point but have a scan guage that gives me the exact temperature and when my old radiator has a little mud in the fins it went up to 104C but with the new rad it runs at 89-90C usually except on long motorway clims when it might go to 95C.

So cleaning the rad inside and out might be due, with a good reverse flush. Then good new coolant. Don't use more than tap pressure on the rad fins or they'll bend.

As for the creak, try tightening all your radius and trailing arm bolts up a smidge, I do think you've got dry knackered bushes somewhere though and replacement is going to be the answer. I went with Super Pro poly bushes and won't go back to rubber now. The road handling is much improved, they are easier to fit / remove and still allow plenty of aticulation.

Kirkynut